Dear friends and neighbors,

This year’s legislative session produced several laws to improve life for our state’s LGBTQ+ community. As the senior member of our Legislature’s LGBTQ+ Caucus, I coordinate with my colleagues well before the session to ensure we prioritize legislation that will advance fair and equal civil rights protections for everyone.

In the photo above, I’m with fellow LGBTQ+ Caucus members Rep. Nicole Macri (my seatmate and Capitol Hill neighbor), Sen. Marko Liias (Everett), Rep. Beth Doglio (Olympia), Sen. Claire Wilson (Auburn), House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (Tacoma), and Sen. Emily Randall (Bremerton).

Healthier and safer communities

One bill that drew a lot of attention this year is Senate Bill 6105, which creates safer working conditions in adult entertainment establishments. After the Liquor and Cannabis Board and Seattle Police Department conducted raids on LGBTQ+ bars and nightclubs on Capitol Hill earlier this year, we acted quickly to amend the bill to repeal the “lewd conduct” regulation from the books. I’m glad that we addressed a situation that left many in our community feeling hurt and targeted in spaces where they should feel safe. As attacks on LGBTQ+ people escalate nationwide, it’s as important as ever that we fight for policies to promote greater health, safety, and dignity.  Other highlights from this session include:

  • House Bill 1954 harmonizes language related to reproductive health care services and gender-affirming treatment.
  • Senate Bill 6127 increases access to human immunodeficiency virus post-exposure prophylaxis drugs or therapies.
  • House Bill 2014 expands veterans’ eligibility for state benefits and services, including for any veteran who was separated solely as a result of anti-LGBTQ policies.
  • House Bill 1905 expands workplace rights and protections in the Washington Equal Pay and Advancement Opportunities Act to include protected classes beyond gender, such as age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability.
  • House Bill 1541 establishes membership requirements for task forces, work groups, and advisory committees that report to the Legislature on issues directly and tangibly affecting underrepresented populations.
  • Senate Bill 5793 expands the definition of “family member” in Washington’s Paid Sick Leave Law.
  • Senate Bill 5917 establishes criminal penalties for bias-motivated defacement of private or public property.
  • Senate Bill 5427 establishes a hate crimes hotline to provide support to victims.
  • Senate Bill 6006 provides support for victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse.

Supporting Youth

  • House Bill 1239 directs the design and establishment of a simple, uniform, and easily accessible state-level process for the receipt and classification of complaints involving the elementary and secondary education systems.
  • Senate Bill 5462 requires school districts to adopt inclusive curricula and select inclusive, age-appropriate instructional materials that include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, including the LGBTQ+ community.
  • House Bill 2331 prohibits banning books or other instructional materials simply because they are related to the contributions of individuals or groups that are part of a protected class.

Initiative 2081

The Legislature had to wrestle with several initiatives this year financed by an ideologically conservative multi-millionaire hedge fund manager. After extensive research and legal analysis, a bipartisan majority of lawmakers passed three, including Initiative 2081.

I-2081 is intended to protect parents’ right to know what their children are learning in school, obtain student records, and receive written notice allowing them to opt their kids out of some classroom activities. About 90% of the initiative is already standard practice or state law.

I understand why the initiative has created concern among students, teachers, and many in the LGBTQ+ community. And that’s why it was so important to hold a public hearing during the session to clarify that the initiative will not change adolescent access to healthcare treatment, student privacy protections for health-care records, or youth access to home and shelter support. We will work closely with the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education to ensure students are protected and the initiative is implemented correctly.  However, we stand prepared to change the law should it put any member of the LGBTQ+ community at risk or threaten in any way a young person’s right to protected health care.

I am proud to live and serve in a community and state that are beacons of hope and safety to LGBTQ+ individuals and families from across the nation. Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter. I will send more updates on key legislation passed during this year’s legislative session. If you missed my previous updates on gun safety, public education, environmental protections, or affordable housing, they are available on my website. Please reach out with any questions at Jamie.Pedersen@leg.wa.gov.

Best wishes,

Jamie